Special for followers of codigopostalrd.net
At 5:49 p.m. on October 23, 2025, Tropical Storm Melissa remained a slow-moving system in the central Caribbean Sea, approximately 460 km southwest of Pedernales, in the southern Dominican Republic.
While the center of the storm has not made direct landfall, its outer rainbands have been affecting the island of Hispaniola (shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti) since early October 23, with intense and sustained rainfall, primarily in the southern provinces.
This has caused localized but increasingly intense impacts, exacerbated by the storm’s slow movement, which allows moisture to accumulate on soils already saturated by previous rainfall.
Significant street flooding has inundated low-lying and urban areas in the Greater Santo Domingo region (including Santo Domingo Este) and southern sectors such as El Almirante.
Several roads and highways are partially impassable due to knee-deep water in some places. No widespread river overflows have yet been reported, but urban flash flooding continues.
Small businesses and markets in flood-prone areas have temporarily closed. Power outages are sporadic in southern communities, affecting hundreds of homes, although the national power grid remains largely stable.
Gusts of up to 50-60 km/h have been recorded along the southern coast, causing minor damage to roofs and uprooting some trees. Dangerous waves (2 to 3 meters) are battering coastal areas, causing beach erosion and posing risks to maritime activities; small boat advisories are in effect.
Dozens of residents in vulnerable southern provinces (e.g., Barahona, Pedernales, and San Cristóbal) have sought shelter in government-designated facilities. So far, no fatalities or serious injuries have been confirmed, but emergency services report an increase in calls for help in flooded neighborhoods.
The storm’s indirect influence has generated a red alert across the country, with nine southern and southeastern provinces under heightened surveillance. Schools, government offices, and non-essential businesses in these areas closed early on October 23.
Consequences
So far, the consequences are primarily hydrological, with the potential for further worsening as Melissa persists and strengthens. The steep terrain and deforested hillsides of the southern Dominican Republic increase the risks, converting heavy rains into rapid runoff
These effects are exacerbated by Melissa’s expected slow movement, which could prolong rainfall through the weekend, generating cumulative totals of 15 to 30 cm (locally up to 35 cm or more) in the south.
This mirrors patterns seen in recent slow-moving tropical storms, such as Tropical Storm Fiona (2022), which caused regional damage exceeding $4 billion.
Tropical Storm Melissa’s passage has so far caused moderate but disruptive impacts in the southern Dominican Republic, focused on flooding triggered by rainfall rather than strong winds, due to its distance from the coast.
At this early stage (less than 12 hours after significant impacts), the situation remains manageable with proactive evacuations and alerts, but its slow pace poses a growing threat of “training” rain bands (repeated deluges over the same areas), which could turn localized problems into widespread crises by Friday.
Authorities, including the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), emphasize preparedness. Residents should avoid flooded roads, secure their properties, and monitor updates from the National Hurricane Center.
While no direct threat to the United States is anticipated, the event underscores the Caribbean’s vulnerability to slow-intensifying storms amid warmer sea temperatures. If Melissa strengthens as forecast (reaching hurricane status by Friday night), impacts in the south could intensify before moving toward Jamaica and Haiti. Stay home, heed alerts, and support community relief efforts for a speedy recovery.
